Summer is synonymous with headlines for the Royal Family, but not always for the desired reasons. While the King and Queen and their daughters keep a normal institutional profile, the shadow of controversy is once again looming over Zarzuela, and this time, the epicenter of the turmoil has a first and last name.
This is Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón. His recent return to Spain, theoretically to celebrate his birthday in private, has ended up turning into a crisis that has exhausted the patience of the monarch himself.
Far from the discretion expected of his status, Froilán has once again shown that his presence is a magnet for conflict. The golden exile in Abu Dhabi, orchestrated to keep him away from the media spotlight and protect the image of the Crown, seems to have done little good. The young man longs for his party nights in Spain, and every time he sets foot on home soil, the scandal counter is reactivated, putting his family's nerves to the test, especially those of his uncle, King Felipe VI.
A night in Ibiza that unleashes the storm in Zarzuela
The latest chapter of this saga took place in the quintessential summer party hotspot: Ibiza. Froilán, enjoying the night at a well-known nightclub on the island, was involved in an altercation that quickly made headlines. This is how we recently reported it in XCatalunya.
According to the testimony of a young woman on the TardeAR program, the King's nephew displayed an attitude that many witnesses described as "arrogant." Apparently, the young man acted as if the venue belonged to him, a behavior that culminated in a tense encounter.
The witness recounted how Froilán offered to take a photo with her, a gesture she declined. The refusal did not sit well with Juan Carlos I's grandson, who, according to the complainant, reacted disproportionately. "He told me I was rude, that I was impolite," the young woman explained, adding that he looked at her with an "aggressive" expression that made her feel intimidated.
Although there was no physical contact, the scene was uncomfortable enough to go beyond the nightclub's walls, reaching the ears of the Royal Household directly.
Felipe VI settles the matter: the call that puts Infanta Elena on the ropes
This new episode, which adds to a long history of fights and outbursts, has been the last straw for Felipe VI. The King, whose main mission since his proclamation has been to safeguard the monarchy's reputation with a "zero tolerance" policy, has not let the incident go by.
The outrage in Zarzuela has been enormous, not so much because of the seriousness of the incident itself, but because of the constant repetition of a pattern that damages the institutional image.
Sources close to the palace say that, after learning the details, Felipe VI immediately contacted his sister, Infanta Elena. The conversation was brief but forceful. The monarch demanded that she take drastic measures and put an end, once and for all, to her son's behavior.
A full-fledged ultimatum that puts the Infanta in an extremely delicate position. She, who has always tried to mediate and excuse Froilán's actions, now finds herself between the sword of royal authority and the wall of her eldest son's conduct. The lack of control is evident. Many are wondering, what would have happened if Juan Carlos I had accepted Elena as his heir?
During the drafting of the Constitution, the then-monarch was proposed a change to eliminate the preference for males in the succession to the crown. He refused. According to several experts, he did not see Elena as fit to reign.